


We Need To Talk

by TypicalCampbell



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Jealous Annabeth, Jealous Will, Jealousy, M/M, Oblivious Percy, Possibly Unrequited Love, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 22:39:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6302953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TypicalCampbell/pseuds/TypicalCampbell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy and Nico have a talk about past experiences, love, life and everything</p><p>Will Solace isn't a jealous guy usually, but when it comes to the Son of Poseidon the usual rules don't always apply.</p><p>Annabeth is always jealous. It's her job</p><p>Alternate title Percy Jackson's stupid fucking face and stupid beautiful eyes</p><p>(I have no idea if this is a one shot or not)</p>
            </blockquote>





	We Need To Talk

“Nico, we need to talk.” Shit, that voice. That voice was his undoing when he was younger. He’d stayed up so many nights, unable to control his passion, despising himself for thinking of Percy  _ fucking _ Jackson after everything that happened. Imagining those lips, saying his name over and over again. But he was supposed to be done with that, so why? Why did he have to tense up the second he heard that sentence, why did his hand twitch in Will’s?  _ Goddamnit, I hate him so much _ a voice chorused in Nico’s brain.

 

“Hey, Will, mind if I steal your boyfriend?” Nico felt Will flinch at the phrasing, and he cringed. There had been a rough patch at the beginning of their relationship when he’d told Will about the huge crush he had on the Son of Poseidon, and the tall blonde boy still felt insecure about it sometimes. In his own words “I know my own worth, but next to  _ that, _ who wouldn’t feel inadequate?”  It was understandable, despite how many times Nico had told him he didn’t feel anything like that any more, and that he measured up just fine

 

“I’m not so fond of having my boyfriend stolen, but if you wanted to borrow him for a bit..” Will tried to play it off as a joke, and it half worked.  Nice turned, and searched Percy’s stupid beautiful eyes, hoping the oblivious older boy wouldn’t hear the slight quaver in his boyfriend’s tone.  Percy didn’t visibly react, smiling at the weak quip, but Nico saw the glint of understanding. Jackson was a lot more perceptive than most people, including his own girlfriend, gave him credit for. Shit.

 

“Don’t worry, man. I’ll return him in mint condition. Don’t even need to bother with the renter’s insurance.”  Will nodded.

 

“I’ll see you at lunch, hun.” And Will was gone, and Percy was grabbing Nico’s hand and steering him to… the Poseidon cabin? Nico’s hand tingled a bit at the calloused fingers that gripped it, a palpable reminder of the ridiculous amount of power Percy had (Not that Percy seemed at all aware of his own mind-blowing capabilities. He seemed to brush it all off as if it were nothing.)  

 

“Percy, what the hell is this about?” Nico yanked his hand away, and halted. “Why are you dragging me away from Will and off to your cabin..”

 

“Dude, trust me. You’re going to be a lot more comfortable having this discussion there, and we  _ are   _ having it. No getting out of it. Now come on.” Percy gestured for him to follow, and marched off. The darker boy followed, cursing at his own weakness and his trust in Percy Jackson, and Poseidon for having such a goddamn beautiful son.  This was going to end poorly.

  
  
  


“Holy Shit.”

 

“I know, right? My brother has sick decorating skills.” Percy seemed to glow with pride at his cabin.  Metal sculptures of Hippocampi hung from the ceiling, along with various other sea monsters Nico had no name for. The walls were encrusted with fossils of sea shells, and in the center of the room was a gorgeous fountain full of shimmering gold drachmas.  In the corner was an enormous doggy bed for Mrs. O’Leary, and most of the bunks had been removed in favor of one Queen sized bed.  Lucky Percy was old enough for Chiron to allow his girlfriend to stay alone in the same cabin. Nico wasn’t jealous or bitter, no sir.

 

“So, seriously, what the hell is this about, Percy?”

 

“What, I can’t just have a talk with my second favorite camper without being up to something? I’m offended.”  Nico blushed furiously. 

 

“Well, get over it, because no you can’t. Flattery will get you nowhere.”

 

“Fine. Sit.” Nico sat on the large bed, begrudgingly. It was soft as hell, and absolutely covered in clothes.  “I had a talk with Hazel and Jason, and they both told me you haven’t talked to them about this either, so I’m going to do it. They agreed that I was the best person to do it.”

 

“Do fucking what??”

 

“Nico, you haven’t said a single word to anyone about your time in Tartarus in a  _ year _ .” That was certainly not what he thought was going on. Nico choked back the bile rising in his throat at the mention of the name, and narrowed his eyes.

 

“What the fuck makes you think you get to sit me down like this, Jackson?” He focused on exuding the aura of his father’s power that seemed to unnerve the other campers so much. “What in the gods’ names makes you think I want to talk about that to ANYONE?” 

 

“Don’t pull that aura of fear crap on me, Nico. It won’t get you out of this.” Percy waved his hand through the air, as if the aura of death was a cloud of cigarette smoke Nico’d blown in his face. “I get to sit you down like this because I’ve been there, same as you, and I know for a fact that if I didn’t have her to talk to I’d be a human wreck. Telling me won’t be a burden. I already know what Tartarus is like. You need to get that shit out, and since you won’t do it willingly, this is your intervention..”

 

“No.” Nico glared at him, willing anything that could happen to get him away from that spot to happen. Monster attack. Sudden Gaia Resurrection. Spontaneous combustion.  He seriously considered summoning a spartus or two.

 

“Yes.” Percy returned his glare impassively, using his ‘Praetor’ voice, as Nico thought of it.  Ever since the Battle of Brooklyn, everyone in camp saw Percy as the ‘leader, and he’d adopted an air of authority as a consequence. If he hadn’t have been so pissed off, Nico would probably be a little turned on by that voice alone. “Not optional.”

 

They sat in silence for a minute. Percy maintained the glare until Nico broke.

 

“Percy, please. I-I really don’t want to… I can’t think about that again.” His voice was small, and he hated it. Percy’s stern expression softened instantaneously, and he scooted over to Nico. He felt a rough hand snake its way around his shoulder, and he couldn’t find the willpower to push Percy away.

 

“I know. Please, trust me. I know. But it will feel so much lighter if you let it out.”

 

“...ok.”  Percy’s smile was gentle. It pulled at his already strained willpower, and all of a sudden the dam broke and Nico was sobbing.

 

“The f-fucking manticore… Doctor Thorn…” Percy inhaled sharply. “He was hunting me. For days, I ran through the rocks, hiding, drinking from the river of fire. He kept taunting me, trying to pin me down. He kept yelling taunts at me a-about Bianca, about how he was going to deliver me to Gaia, and she would let him back to the surface to c-come after you, because I wasn’t a hero. I was going to fail again.” Percy rubbed Nico’s back calmingly. “I couldn’t stand it. I f-failed you too many times already, I couldn’t stand— “

 

“Nico, You never failed me. What do you mean?” Nico blinked back his tears, staring at Percy incredulously.  

 

“I-I listened to Minos!  I ran from camp, I blamed YOU for Bianca. I led you to my father, and he threw you into the dungeon in Hades. The only thing I ever did right was leading the Argo to the doors of Death.” He was gesticulating wildly now. How could Percy not  _ see _ how badly he kept fucking up?!

 

“Nico, stop. You were young and grieving, and Minos took advantage of you.None of that was your fault.  If you recall, YOU were the one who led me to the Styx. You were the only reason why I survived the Titan War. You led the seven to the Doors of Death, and took the Parthenos back to camp. Thorn was wrong. So wrong.”

 

“The only thing that made me keep moving was you.” Percy blinked at that. He’d known about the crush, but not how… intense it was. He recalled the thought of Annabeth pulling him from the Styx, how the thought of getting her to safety drove him through hell itself, and he was struck dumb. This.. crush didn’t exactly do it justice…”

 

“I thought about never getting to see your stupid fucking face, or those fucking sea green eyes again, or Thorn tearing you apart, and I couldn’t stop. I had to find the way out.” Percy’s hand stopped moving on his back, and Nico froze.  He knew it, that was too much to say, he was so fucking stupid, he told Percy too much and now he was freaking him out. Percy was going to kick him out and call him a freak, just like they used to at his first school…

 

“H-how could I mean that much to you?” Percy’s voice was quiet and filled with self doubt. “I never did anything to deserve that, from you of all people Nico.

 

“Percy, you’re my Hero. When I think the word I see your face. You’re so…  When I first saw you at Sandover, putting yourself between my sister and I and Thorn, I…  You became my ideal. Selfless, brave, loyal to a fault. Even your terrible fucking jokes.” Nico stopped himself. That wasn’t why they were here. He wasn’t supposed to be having a “Percy I was madly in love with you” talk.

 

“A-anyway, uh.  I attacked Thorn. It was a terrible idea.  I managed to kill him, but  one of Gaia’s other monsters grabbed me, and dragged me to the doors.” He hiccuped  “I-i saw Tartarus’s true face, and I think it drove me mad. Sometimes I wake up, and see the darkness, and I think I’m still in the jar. It’s too much, sometimes, and I can’t talk to Will or Jason. They’d nod, and sympathize, but they wouldn’t get it. No one could.

 

“Not unless they’d seen.” Percy agreed.  “You don’t have to keep going, Nico. And I.. I want you to know that any time of night, whenever you need it, I’m here. Just come find me. Even if it’s 4 in the morning.   Now sleep.” Nico looked up at Percy questioningly. “You haven’t been sleeping. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in a year either. It’s nice and light in here, this is the best bed on camp, and I’ll wake you up before anyone sees you. Sleep.”  Nico wanted to argue. He wanted to get up, leave, go find Will at archery practice and  do something. Because falling asleep on Percy Jackson’s fucking lap felt like the worst idea ever. But he couldn’t stand. It was as if his limbs had taken Percy’s instructions as permission, and finally decided to give out.  The last thing he saw was the sleek hair and the same sea green eyes that Hazel had once said made him look like a Roman God, that he’d imagined so many times alone in the labyrinth, curled up and filled with shame at what he’d been imagining and doing.  Then his mind fled.

  
  
  


Percy was smiling to himself, running one hand through the boy’s hair as he slept, when the door opened and he heard Annabeth’s voice.

 

“Will, Percy said that he wanted to talk to Nico, right? Then that’s what they’re doing. That’s ALL they’re doing. And isn’t it Nico’s business if he tells you what they talk about?” Shit, this might not go well. Percy looked down, trying to find a way to shift Nico off of his lap without waking him. Nope, he was fucked. 

 

Annabeth turned, and saw her boyfriend laying on their bed, stroking another boy’s hair as said other boy slept in his lap. Her first instinct was  _ Kill _ .  Her second instinct was also  _ Kill _ . Somewhere after that, her rational mind kicked in, and she saw the red eyes, the tear tracks, the lack of any missing clothing, and she quickly spun , shoved a shocked and affronted Will straight out the door, clicking it shut behind herself.

 

“What the FUCK!” Will exclaimed. “Annabeth, they were…”

 

“They weren’t doing shit, WIll. It’s okay. Calm down, and wait until Nico wakes up and we’ll discuss this like rational— “

 

“Fuck that noise.” He drew his bow, and started walking back towards the door.

 

“Will, if you walk in that door with a bow drawn, Percy will literally, actually KILL you” WIll blanched, but she kept talking. “He has a hair trigger response, ever since he got back from… well.. Down there.  And Percy and Nico’s relationship is strained and complicated enough without adding “Killed his first Boyfriend over a misunderstanding” to the list” Will opened his mouth to respond, but they were interrupted by the door to poseidon cabin creaking open.

 

“Hey guys.” Percy said nonchalantly, as if he hadn’t done a single thing wrong. Which, Annabeth mused silently, he probably didn’t think he had.

 

“Percy what the hell were you doing sleeping with my boyfriend?” Percy blinked

 

“Wow, WIll, never took you for the jealous type…”  Will didn’t respond, just continued giving him an indignant look.  “If you must know, after we talked, I made him take a fucking nap, because he looked like a zombie.  Then he just.. Kind of passed out on me.”

 

“:...and you didn’t move him?” Will followed up, indignation slightly quelled when percy brought up his boyfriend’s sleep issues.  Will was constantly concerned by the fact that Nico never got enough sleep. All demigods got nightmares, but Nicos were far worse than normal and the son of Apollo had no idea how to help.

 

“Well, I didn’t want to wake him up. Plus, we’re talking like, two minutes before you walked in that this happened.” Percy shrugged. “I told him I’d wake him up in time to meet you for lunch, and I’m planning to.”

 

“O-ok, Sorry, i … I was being stupid. I’ll leave-” Percy slung an arm around Will’s shoulder, and guided him off to the side, shooting Annabeth a glance that said “Be right back”

  
  
  
  


“Dude, you don’t have to worry about me, you know that right? I’m quite happily taken.” 

 

“Uh, yeah, I-i know. It’s just… I know about Nico’s uh.. Feelings for you. And you’re a hard guy to measure up to, Jackson.”

 

“It’s not a competition” _ Says the guy who’s winning _ “Nico chose, is choosing to be with you. He could have tried to pursue his feelings for me, but he never did. He decided to go out with you. Isn’t that enough?”  Will nodded tentatively.   “Good. By the way, hurt Nico and I  _ will  _  actually kill you. I’ve been protecting that kid for five years. Be good to him.”

  
  
  
  


“Hey Wise girl.” Strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, and Annabeth relaxed into the embrace.  

 

“Is Nico okay?” 

 

“Yeah, I think he just might be. I told him if he keeps having the nightmares, he can come wake me up anytime, so.. Uh, hope that’s okay?” Annabeth nodded. Of course it was. Then she punched him in the arm as hard as she could.

 

“Ow, fuck, what the hell?

 

“That was for stroking his hair, in your lap, ON OUR BED. Jerk” Percy released her and rubbed his bruised arm.

 

“Well, damn, woman. I was trying to help him sleep. It was supposed to be comforting! Comforting AND PLATONIC!”

 

“Well, if i have to fight Nico over you because you were being ‘comforting and platonic’, i might just let him drag you off to Hades.”  Percy shook his head, chuckling. She didn’t mean that, and he knew it.

  
  
  
  


Nico couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept that well. Something was shaking his shoulder, and he could hear a soft voice saying “Nicoooo, time for lunchhhh”  He grumbled, and rolled over, eyes opening to slits. Percy’s face was literally inches from his own. Percy ran his tongue over his slightly chapped lips before repeating the phrase, and Nico felt his pulse quicken.

  
_ Oh shit. _

**Author's Note:**

> Have no idea where I'm going with this or if It's going to be more than a one shot, but let me know what you think and if I should keep going or whatever.


End file.
